


Confession

by noroadstaken



Series: The Adventures of Anne & Will [3]
Category: & Juliet - Martin/West Read
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Post-Canon, This is really sad again I'm sorry, Will Needs a Hug, post-musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23262385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noroadstaken/pseuds/noroadstaken
Summary: After the events of the musical, Anne and Will sit down and have a talk about the past.
Relationships: Anne Hathaway Shakespeare/William Shakespeare
Series: The Adventures of Anne & Will [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672639
Kudos: 5





	Confession

**Author's Note:**

> I lowkey hate this but here it is anyway.
> 
> Continuation of "The Tragedy of Hamnet" and some things probably won't make sense if you haven't read that one first.

“Will, we need to talk.”

Anne saw the resigned look in Will’s eyes as she sat next to him. They both knew this was coming. Yes, they’d made progress thanks to the situation with Juliet and Romeo, but they couldn’t move on without getting everything out in the open. Anne still remembered all the nights she spent alone and all the times she had to lie for Will whenever Hamnet asked for his father.

“I know.” Will sighed. Anne laced their fingers together.

“Whatever you tell me, no matter how bad you think it is, I want to know. I’ve spent years thinking of every possible situation, came up with millions of excuses, of why you weren’t there for me, or H-Hamnet.” Anne’s voice cracked at the reminder of her little boy. She didn’t expect to cry so soon. “I need to know, William.”

Will cupped her face, wiping away the tears with his thumbs. “There is not enough time in my life to correct the pain I put you and the children through. I’m so sorry, Anne. For everything.”

Will joined Anne in her sobs, kissing her forehead. This is what he didn’t want Anne to see, he was meant to be her husband and here he was breaking down. He couldn’t do that to her, let her see him at his breaking point.

“But why?” Anne asked.

“I was so weak, Anne.” Will explained, pulling away and looking at his feet. “I was meant to be the strong one, and I couldn’t cope with it. I spent most of my days in London in my bed, unable to do anything because it was so hard for me to bear with. I couldn’t put that onto you. You had to be a mother to Hamnet, to the girls, you didn’t need to look after me too.”

“We should’ve looked after each other.”

“I know, but I was so blinded by my grief I couldn’t see that then.” Will cried. “For days after you called me to say he was gone, Kit had to sit with me because I was a danger to myself. I trashed my apartment, I wouldn’t e-eat…” 

Will broke down, waves of sobs crashing over him. Anne immediately pulled him into her chest, still crying herself, as Will muttered thousands of apologies into her shoulder. They didn’t know how long they sat there for, Anne’s hand rubbing soothing circles into his back and trying to hold herself together at the news of how hard Hamnet’s death had actually hit her husband.

Eventually, Anne spoke up again.

“I wish you told me that then. I spent months crying myself to sleep alone in our bed, wishing that you were there with me. We should’ve been grieving together.”

“I didn’t want to burden you anymore than you already were.” Will whispered. Anne immediately moved them to look Will in the eye.

“You will never be a burden. We are meant to go through these things as couple. That is what I promised to do when we married, and what I will always do until we’re gone.” Anne swore and Will smiled, sadly.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologising. Just promise me that we will never disconnect like that again, that if we go through something terrible you will be by my side through it all.”

“I promise, Anne.” Will said. “And if I ever try to break that promise you have full permission to set Angelique on me. She’s terrifying.”

Anne laughed and shook her head before kissing her husband, sealing the promises they’d made to each other. They both knew that they’d never let what happened all those years ago repeat themselves.

“My back hurts.” Will said when they broke apart, rubbing the small of his back. “You’re way too small to lean on.”

Anne hit him in retaliation.


End file.
